It's an unequal fight: They have resources, we have resilience; they are merchants of death, we carry with us dreams of oppressed

Counterview Desk
Gujarat’s Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani has made an “urgent appeal” for funds through Crowdnewsing (click HERE) to support his campaign against the BJP ahead of the Gujarat elections. Text of the appeal:
Dear friends and well-wishers, ever since the horrific videos of Una flogging surfaced, some of us got together to relentlessly work against the fascist communal and brahmanical Gujarat government led by RSS-BJP. The Una flogging brought to the fore the largely invisible yet deeply entrenched casteist character of BJP led ruling class of Gujarat.
In no time, a massive consolidation of the Dalit masses took place in Gujarat. Dalits are just 7% in Gujarat and the mainstream media hardly highlighted their plight and suffering before. However, after one and half year of our continuous struggle under the Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, the mainstream media is forced to write about atrocities and marginalisation of Dalits in Gujarat. RDAM’s continuous struggle has been able to ensure actual possession of land to the Dalits, that had remained only on paper for the past many years.
This has instilled confidence and courage among the Dalit population, especially the youth. There is immense passion among the Dalit youth now to fight back the saffron hoodlums and their dangerous, anti-democratic and violent politics.
We uphold Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision and dream and for that we need to give these fascist goons the biggest jolt on their home turf in Gujarat. Does that mean we are supporting any political party? No we are not. Our sole focus of campaign and consolidation is against these communal, casteist, patriarchal and fascist forces of RSS. Nothing more, but not nothing less.
But then we are a non-funded organization. We are one and half year old Dalit rights group which has never received funds from any political party, corporates, NGOs or funding agencies. Our organisation namely Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch works and survives with people's contributions, the motto being - 'Janta ki ladayee, janta ke paiso se'.
On the other hand the enemy camp in power has immense backing not just from Indian corporations but global capital as well. These fascists are destroying not just Gujarat but the entire country, our secular fabric and our constitutional values. We have decided to fight back against these murderous gang. We have decided to stand up and speak truth to power, look the fascists in the eye and fight them back.
We do not have the big industrialists or global capitalists backing us. But we have you. Your support and contribution matter to us. We are confident that we can fight this immensely unequal battle if people stand by us. If the progressive, democratic people who stand by the dreams of Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar, of Birsa Munda, Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule; if the struggles of the oppressed majority of the country stand by us, then we are confident we can fight back. And any jolt in Gujarat can snowball into a larger defeat of these fascist forces countrywide.
Let us fight back, unitedly and resolutely.
During and just before the upcoming Gujarat elections our plans are the following:
In next 3 weeks, we want to have 12 public meetings (jan sabhas) in various parts of Gujarat, each costing around 50-60 thousand rupees for stage, mike and other set up along with its publicity material. For this we are launching a Vehicle March from 26th November to 6th December using 4 buses, traveling cost of each would cost 10 thousand rupees per day.
Then food and accommodation of about 200 people every day, which will cost 25 thousand per day which amounts to 2,50,000 for 11 days.
At the end of the March we are planning a huge gathering of more than 50 thousand people at Ahmedabad, this particular event will cost nothing less than 2 lakh.
The total cost will therefore come around 20 lakh. This is nothing compared to the crores of rupees that the political parties launder during elections. We are putting our entire expenses open so that people can support us.
In all these rallies we are going to take the BJP-RSS head on, expose each and every of their anti-democratic moves in the past twenty two years and lay bare their thoroughly anti-people policies.
No. This is an unequal fight. They have the resources, we have the resilience. They are the merchants of death and destruction, we carry with us the dreams and struggles of the oppressed people for justice and democracy. We are not going to give up, but fight back. Fight back with us!
Seeking your support and solidarity…

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

Search This Blog